Preparations are underway for the first World Conference on the Phenomenon of Takfir – charging people with disbelief in Islam – to be organized by the Prince Naif Bin Abdul Aziz International Award for the Prophet's Sunnah (Traditions) and Contemporary Islamic Studies with the participation of Imam Muhammad Bin Saud Islamic University. Prince Naif Bin Abdul Aziz, Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior, received here Sunday members of the Supreme Supervisory, Executive and Preparatory Committees for the first World Conference on the Phenomenon of Takfir. The conference will also be attended by King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. Dr. Saed Al-Orabi Al-Harthi, Advisor to the Second Deputy Premier and Chairman of the Supreme Supervisory Committee of the conference, said that members listened to a guidance speech delivered by Prince Naif on the importance of good preparation, to achieve the conference's goals of clarifying the Shariah rule on Takfir and the phenomenon's ideological and historic roots. Meanwhile, 282 research papers out of the 420 submitted have been selected to compete for the Prince Naif Award for Prophet's Sunnah (Traditions) and Islamic Contemporary Studies. The award's scientific committee meeting here Sunday rejected 138 for not fulfilling the requirements. Dr. Al-Harthi said 282 research papers have been referred to the primary arbitrary committee including 60 on the “status of Sahaba (Companions of the Prophet) in Islam”, 80 on “dealing with non-Muslims in Sunnah,” 34 on “financial investment in Islam,” and 108 on “jihad”. He added that 25 research papers will be referred to the final arbitrary panel – involving 12 members from in and outside the Kingdom – to select the winners in the four categories and to submit the results to the scientific committee and then to the supreme awards committee for final approval.
